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The study examined the conflict between the state of Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab/Islamic world. It argued that the seemingly innocuous local conflict has defied persistent peace overtures due to the unwillingness of both its umpires and belligerents to openly allude to the actual motives for the conflict - religious particularisms. The study posits that the Jews, the Palestinians and their Arab/Islamic supporters, and supposed umpires like the western world all have stakes in the conflict. These three groups each represent an arm of the three monotheistic religions of the world - Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Each of them also claim exclusivity to religious salvation. The quest to ostracise opponents while posturing as the victim in the conflict soon became a strategy which did not only turn the United Nations into the diplomatic theater of the war, but necessitated the involvement of third world countries in the theatrics. Consequently, multi- ethnic and multi religious states like Nigeria have been polarised along ethno-religious Christian South versus Islamic North. The implication being a looming religious conflict of global reach.

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Charles Adedeji Ogidan teaches History in the Department of History, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He is a History graduate of Lagos State University. He also holds Master of Science degree (International Relations) and Master of Philosophy (History), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife, where he is also a Ph.D candidate.

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